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The Ugly Truth

Author: Ali Parker
last update Last Updated: 2024-05-24 02:07:21

Evie

I pulled open the door to the hall where my father’s office was located. I knew he wasn’t in class. I knew his schedule. He wasn’t returning my calls, which really pissed me off.

He was the one acting childishly. I couldn’t believe he was actually mad at me. He was the one who had acted like a tyrant. I was not going to let him get away with ignoring me.

I had mulled over it all week. The only way this was going to get settled was to hash it out. There would be some things said that would probably hurt. They needed to be said. We needed to clear the air. He knew it and I knew it, but he was avoiding it.

He couldn’t hide from me. I was fully capable and willing to track him down. I didn’t really have the time to do it, but I was doing it anyway. The week had been hectic and irritating. I was irritated in general. I was pissed I had not been able to see Xander all week. We never got the chance to go out on the boat.

This weekend was busy for both of us as well. I wasn’t going to be
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    EvieMy father studied me for several seconds. “I don’t have to explain anything to you. It is what it is, and I would appreciate it if you accept it and let me get back to work.”“Dad! Why are you being so hateful?”“I’m not being hateful,” he answered without any real inflection. “I know him. I know his type.”“You are wrong.”“Listen, Evie. You are a good girl. You have this natural inclination to like everyone. You see the good in people. I see the bad in people. I have lived on this earth a lot longer than you. I know people.”“I’m not naïve. I know people. It’s what I do for a living. I read people. I anticipate their needs. Xander is not a bad guy.”He scoffed. “Yeah, right. He is using you to get to me.”“He didn’t even know you were my father!”“Bullshit. It isn’t hard to figure out. Your last name. The college bio page.”It was my turn to roll my eyes. “That would be assuming he stalked you. Do you really think he has followed you all these years? I think you are giving your

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  • Let Me In   Forgive Me

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    EvieI pulled up the images from a sweet-sixteen party I had planned about six months ago before I turned my laptop for the new client to see.“Oh wow, that is stunning!” the mother exclaimed.“I don’t want pink,” the spoiled princess pouted.I smiled, remaining calm. “You don’t have to have pink. You can choose any color you want.”“No,” the mother quickly interjected. “We are not having black.”The girl scowled. “I wasn’t going to say black.”I kept my smile in place. The affluent family had reached out to me last week. Initially, I didn’t want to do it. I was in no mood to deal with a spoiled teenager.“What colors were you thinking about?” I asked.“Purple,” she answered. “I want several shades of purple.”“Oh, that’s very regal,” her mother said with a relieved smile. “I like it.”“I was at a party you planned for my friend like a year ago,” the young girl said. “She said you were really good. My party has to be better than her party.”Ah, teenage envy. “We will do our best.”“We

  • Let Me In   Go Fix It

    Xander“No, I don’t suppose it was. You did it for yourself. You made something of yourself. I’ve kept my head in the sand, trying to ignore what you’ve been doing. I did a little research. You have changed the world, just like you said you were going to. You really did something remarkable. Your mother used to show me newspaper clippings with your name. I know I didn’t say it, but I’m proud of you. I’ve always been proud of you.”I put the bottle of beer down. I could not continue to drink it if he was going to send me into coughing fits every time he dropped one of his little bombshells. “You are?”“I am. I should have told you before. You are my son. I’ve said some pretty shitty things. I don’t know how to make them go away but I was hoping we could try and start over.”I felt like I was being pranked. Maybe I was dreaming. In thirty-two years, my father had never believed I was worthy of his last name. “You want to start over? I’m sorry, Dad. This is all coming out of left field.

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